Excavating-machine.



PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905.

'L. ROSEBUSH. BXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1I INVENTOR WITNESSES E N R 0 T Tll A No. 780.686. PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905.

L. ROS'EBU-SH. EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 22, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 SHEETS8HEET 3.

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WITNESSES Fa F IINVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES Patented January 24, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EXC'AVATING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,686, dated January 24, 1905.

' Application filed April 22, 1904. Serial No. 204,484..

T0 (tZZ whom, it flea/y concern.-

' Be it known that I, LUIS RosnBUsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a machine for excavating ditches, drains, and trenches, and relates more particularly to excavators of the portable type adapted to work at the head of the excavation and to move back as the excavation progresses.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a front View, and, Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

The device consists in mechanisms adapted to be attached to and operated by a tractionengine or similar machine. In Fig. 1 is shown a traction-engine (indicated by dotted lines) operating at the head of the excavation 1 to actuate the hoisting mechanism that forms the subject of this invention. Saddles 2, carried by the boiler of the engine, support forwardlyprojecting horizontal beams-3, upon which is .mounted a platform 4, carrying a suitable hoisting-drum 5, adapted to be driven by the belt 6, connected to the driving-wheel of the engine. A pair of cables 7 and 8 are wound in opposite directions on the drum'5, so that as the drum revolves one of the cables, as 7, will be drawn up and the other cable will be paid out. The cables pass over blocks 7 and 8. and are thence. run to .the excavation 1, where suitable drags or scoops 7 b and 8 are fastened to their ends. The blocks 7 a and 8 are secured by suitable swivels 9*to inclined shear-legs 10, the lower ends of which are carried by runners 11, to which they are pivoted, and the upper ends of the shear-legs 10 are pivoted to the upper ends of outwardly and upwardly extending arms 12, the lower end of each arm 12 being pivotally connected to one of the beams 3 by means of pivots 12.-

I prefer in practice to make the shear-legs 10 from a single beam and form the outwardlyextending arms 12 of two pieces, as shown in port the platform-beams 3. mally have forward and outward inclination,

Figs. 1 and 3, spread at the bottom to better brace the top of the shear-legs against lateral displacement. I

Guy-rods l3 and 1 1, secured at their front ends to the shear-legs 10, extend back to lugs 15, located one at each side of the boiler, and

platform 1, I provide legs 17 and 18, pivoted at their upper ends to cross-beams 19, that sup- These legs noras shown in Fig. 3, to better brace the beams 19 against forward pull of the cables 7 when and the pivoted legs 17 dropped beneath, as

shown in Fig. 1. The legs 17 are then driven in by sledges to firmly support the ends of the beams 19, that carry the weight of the projecting platform. One of the cables, as 7, is paid out, and thescraper 7 is carried back some distance into the excavation. Simultaw neously the other scraper, 8 is drawn up almost to the block 8. The drum 5 is then revolved to wind up the cable 7, and in so doing the scraper 7 fills and is drawn forward and outward toward the block 7 The scraper 8 is drawn back by hand or by any suitable means into the excavation. When the scraper 7 reaches the brink of the excavation, it is dumped by hand or other suitable means, leaving its contents in a pile under the block 7 at the head and one side of the ditch. The

other scraper, 8 is filled and emptied in the same manner, and one scraper is always being filled'while the other is being emptied. When the excavation has proceeded almost to the engine, the engine is moved back by its own' power, carrying with it the platform, the drum, and the arms 12. The runners 11 and the shear-legs 10 are drawn forward at the same time by the rods 13, 14, and 16. Thelegs 17 and 18 swing out, and their lower ends drag along the ground until the engine is stopped, when they are again blocked on the planks 20, as previously described.

By means of this device, which is applicable to any traction-engine of ordinary construction, I have produced asirnple and inexpensive machine especially adapted for use in digging drains and ditches. The earth may be taken from any part of the excavation and is drawn to the head of the excavation and then up its inclined side and dumped to form two embankments, one at each side of the excavation.

The apparatus when not in use may be packed in small space and may be conveniently transported in a common wagon.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In combination with-a traction-engine a platform secured to the front end thereof; a hoisting-drum mounted on said platform; devices for operating said drum from the engine; cross-beams supporting said platform; forwardly and outwardly extending legs pivotally suspended from said beams; upwardly and outwardly extending arms pivotally secured to each side of said platform; inclined shear-legs pivoted at their upper ends to said arms; runners pivoted to the lower ends of said shear-legs; a hoisting-block secured to each of said shear legs; cables oppositely wound on said drum and extending respectively through each of said hoisting-blocks; and scrapers secured to the ends of said cables; substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with a traction-engine a hoisting-drum carried thereon; and adapted to be operated from the engine; forwardly and outwardly extending legs adapted to support said drum; upwardly and outwardly extending arms carried by the engine at each side of said drum; inclined shear-legs pivoted at their upper ends to said arms; runners pivoted to the lower ends of said shear-legs; a hoistingbloel; secured to each of said shear-legs; cables oppositely wound on said drum and extending respectively through each of said hoisting-blocks; and scrapers secured to the ends of said cables.

3. In combination with a traction-engine a hoisting-drum carried thereon and adapted to be operated from the engine; forwardly and outwardly extending legs adapted to support said drum; upwardly and outwardly extending arms carried bythe engine at each side of said drum; inclined shear-legs pivoted. at their upper ends to said arms; runners pivoted to the lower ends of said shear-legs; guy-rods sccured at their outer ends to said shear-legs and secured at their opposite ends to the engine; a hoisting-block secured to each of said shear-legs; cables oppositely wound on said drum extending respectively through each of said hoisting-blocks; and scrapers secured to the ends of said cables.

4. In combination with a traction-engine, an

inclined shear-leg located at each side of said engine; guy-rods connecting said engine and shear-legs; upwardly and outwardly extending arms supported at their lower ends by said engine and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of said shearlegs; substantially as described.

5. In combination with a traction-engine, an inclined shear-leg located at each side of said engine; guy-rods connecting said engine and shear-legs; a runner pivotally secured to the bottom of each shear-leg; upwardly and outwardly extending arms supported at their lower ends by said engine and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of said shear-legs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LUIS ROSEBUSl-I.

VVitnesse-s:

O. A. EASTERLY, J. S. Sun. 

